Anyone old enough to remember the 1977 N.Y. Yankees can imagine them as the focus of an 8-hour film (based on Jonathan Mahler’s bestseller). Semi-lovingly called “The Bronx Zoo,” the Yanks were the first superstar team of baseball’s free agent world, a collection of egos and grit owner George Steinbrenner bought for one reason: to win a World Series for the first time in 15 years.
THE STORY: The Yankees’ chaos is placed within the context of N.Y.C. in ‘77. The Big Apple was fed up and fearful: the economy was crap, “Son of Sam” David Berkowitz was on every front page, and a frightening citywide blackout led to a hideous level of crime. Makes me remember how much better North Dallas Forty is than Rudy.
THE CAST: Oliver Platt is The Boss, George Steinbrenner (does that mean he won’t do funny?). Brooklynite John Turturro, currently in Transformers, is manager Billy Martin — sporting some interesting ears (check the trailer). Reggie Jackson, the self-proclaimed “straw that stirs the drink,” is played by “Rescue Me”’s Daniel Sunjata.
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